Japanese media hopes that old trains sent to Thailand won't rust away like one in 2016

[webfact]

Picture: ANN via Daily News

 

Comment was rife on Thai social media after a report on Japanese television about old rolling stock going to Thailand. 

 

A train was sent in the last month but many people online thought it already looked like a rust-bucket. 

 

The Japanese media said that one sent in 2016 was just that.

 

Picture: ANN via Daily News

 

It was supposed to be re-gauged to fit Thai tracks for use in 2017 but instead was left to rot in a railway siding, reported Daily News.

 

They hoped that the latest train from Hokkaido would not suffer a similar fate. 

 

Picture: ANN via Daily News

 

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[Geoffggi]

Do you mean these trains do not come with built-in maintenance programs ...........................LOL

[ezzra]

It was cheaper to ship them to Thailand than to dismantle them and get stuck with all the rubbish and debris to get rid off i guess...

[jacko45k]

16 minutes ago, ezzra said:

It was cheaper to ship them to Thailand than to dismantle them and get stuck with all the rubbish and debris to get rid off i guess...

I get an image if Japan offering them free and Thailand jumping at it before they knew what they were getting. 

[Virt]

They could turn it into a moving isolation platform for farangs tested positive for covid.

 

Choo choo, all aboard.

[tgw]

If Thai Railroads were any good, there would be performant rail transport between the country's most important spots.

 

Bangkok - Chonburi - Pattaya - Rayong

Bangkok - Patchaburi - Hua Hin - Chumphon - Surat Thani

Bangkok - Chiang Mai with some relevant stops

and

Bangkok - Korat - Khon Kaen - Udon - Vientiane

 

should be no brainers and built for 200 Kph, with one train every hour at least.

 

I would be so happy if there was a good commute between Pattaya railway station and Bangkok.

 

They got that huge rail yard at Huai Kwang and it seems there is big construction work going on there... I wonder when the tracks in the provinces will also be worked on.

[jaiyen]

Best to leave them on a vacant piece of land and use them as sleeping quarters for the homeless

[mtls2005]

27 minutes ago, jaiyen said:

Best to leave them on a vacant piece of land and use them as sleeping quarters for the homeless

Like the fire engines?

 

 

[xtrnuno41]

You have to cut costs on other stuff , if you want to buy 2x subs from China and  8x F-35 from USA.

You also have to do some maintenance on them, otherwise they are done in a jiffy.

Of course the trains arent that important ????, but you could paint them again.

However maintenance in Thailand has not much priority.

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, tgw said:

If Thai Railroads were any good, there would be performant rail transport between the country's most important spots.

 

Bangkok - Chonburi - Pattaya - Rayong

Bangkok - Patchaburi - Hua Hin - Chumphon - Surat Thani

Bangkok - Chiang Mai with some relevant stops

and

Bangkok - Korat - Khon Kaen - Udon - Vientiane

 

should be no brainers and built for 200 Kph, with one train every hour at least.

 

I would be so happy if there was a good commute between Pattaya railway station and Bangkok.

 

They got that huge rail yard at Huai Kwang and it seems there is big construction work going on there... I wonder when the tracks in the provinces will also be worked on.

I assume you've done a study that supports the need and frequency of the services you list?

[jackinthebox]

>It was supposed to be re-gauged to fit Thai tracks for use in 2017 but instead was left to rot in a railway siding

No wonder. Re-gauging rolling stock is expensive and complex. Not worth it for old japanese rusty coaches and engines.

[Bangkok Barry]

It wouldn't surprise me at all if those who bought the trains didn't know they wouldn't fit on Thai tracks without being converted. Someone in the office might have caught on, but if they were lower on the employment rung they would culturally be unable to mention it and cause loss of face.

[tgw]

7 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

I assume you've done a study that supports the need and frequency of the services you list?

it's a matter of development strategy.

infrastructure often creates its own market.

I'd say building low-emissions infrastructures that take traffic off the streets is the way to go.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, jacko45k said:

I get an image if Japan offering them free and Thailand jumping at it before they knew what they were getting. 

If this ones been in service in Hokkaido I can imagine the life its had... especially in winter.

[hansnl]

4 hours ago, tgw said:

If Thai Railroads were any good, there would be performant rail transport between the country's most important spots.

 

Bangkok - Chonburi - Pattaya - Rayong

Bangkok - Patchaburi - Hua Hin - Chumphon - Surat Thani

Bangkok - Chiang Mai with some relevant stops

and

Bangkok - Korat - Khon Kaen - Udon - Vientiane

 

should be no brainers and built for 200 Kph, with one train every hour at least.

 

I would be so happy if there was a good commute between Pattaya railway station and Bangkok.

 

They got that huge rail yard at Huai Kwang and it seems there is big construction work going on there... I wonder when the tracks in the provinces will also be worked on.

Most tracks in the provinces are very well maintained, actually.

However, metregauge in Thailand and elsewhere, is not really great for anything faster as 150-160 km/h, it can be done but needs a lot of work in bends.

[m Stender]

2 hours ago, xtrnuno41 said:

You have to cut costs on other stuff , if you want to buy 2x subs from China and  8x F-35 from USA.

You also have to do some maintenance on them, otherwise they are done in a jiffy.

Of course the trains arent that important ????, but you could paint them again.

However maintenance in Thailand has not much priority.

Maintenance is a buzzword in Thailand, just look at used cars

[PETERTHEEATER]

4 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Like the fire engines?

 

 

Is there a plan to regauge these too and use them on existing rail? ????

[MrJ2U]

Thats exactly whats going to happen.

 

Everyone knows its just another scam at the expense of the taxpayers

 

Delivery costs were astronomical.

 

Still better than they could make in Thailand though.

 

"42.5 million baht in transportation costs"

 

https://thethaiger.com/news/national/japan-donates-used-diesel-trains-thais-criticise-acquisition-over-transport-costs

[Bluespunk]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

They hoped that the latest train from Hokkaido would not suffer a similar fate. 

Hope springs eternal but can it defeat rust

[mikebell]

Thailand - the hub of rust.

[mtls2005]

17 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

It wouldn't surprise me at all if those who bought the trains

Pretty sure these were free, all graft/corruption was used on the shipping.

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - The State Railway of Thailand has stressed the used trains from Japan it is receiving as a donation are still in good condition. The state railway operator will need to pay for the transportation of the 17 train carriages at a cost of 42.5 million baht.

 

https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG210910214733775